The Radium Girls by Kate Moore [Review]

 The Radium Girls by Kate Moore - Review

Synopsis

This is a true story about a group of remarkably inspiring women who worked with radium in the dial factory's, helping their very own country stay safe at war. Radium at that time was a newly discovered substance and was often coined a 'wonder drug'. These women who were referred to as the 'shining girls' simply due to the glow that the radium left on them started to experiencing concerning life threatening illnesses. Many women dreamed of working in one of these factories dealing with the ever so alluring radium, however, the very factories that offer these golden opportunities were now the ones denying the women's claims of radium poisoning. This starts an incredible journey that the women fight to change the legislation and regulations which did the very opposite of protecting them. Their very voices led to the introduction of life-saving regulations that we have in place to this very day. 

What I loved

This story is not an easy one to read, it is heart-breaking and devastating in a way that you follow the suffering that these women endured and that their family continued to endure following their deaths but it is a story I feel everyone should read. I loved seeing the photos of the women, I felt this touch really helps you resonate with the women even more and to see for yourselves that these were real, young and healthy women who died and gave us their voice that changed the future. 

I heartedly appreciate the descriptive court scenes and found myself hooked to find out if the women got the justice they deserved or if the big companies literally got away with murder.  Although this is a harrowing story which at many points will bring you to tears, it is also inspiring to see how hard these women fought for justice and to make a change when it seemed impossible.

This book taught me a lot, I didn't know much about this story and I am so glad that I got a chance to read this brilliant book, the more people that read this book show that these women still have a voice even from beyond their grave. 

The very only criticism that I have for this book is that I find in the first half of the book Kate focuses on the women's looks far too much and it got quite repetitive, however, this didn't continue into the second half of the book and this is where for me, the book really shined.

Many thanks to Kate Moore for writing this book and continuing to give these amazing women a voice. 

Find Kate Moore on twitter here.

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